Canon EF 300 mm F/2.8 L IS USM Lens with a 2X III TC

[Scott_McPhee]

Anyone used the Canon EF 300 mm F/2.8 L IS USM Lens with a 2X III TC?
How does it perform for AF, etc?

It will be the Mark I version of this lens I will be using - for air shows mainly.

Looking for something that will focus quickly and be razor sharp - I have heard very good reports of the 300mm F/2.8L and it;s reputation for sharpness but am concerned how the 2X III TC will effect it.

Body I will be using is a 5D mark III.

 

[serendipidy]

Anyone used the Canon EF 300 mm F/2.8 L IS USM Lens with a 2X III TC?
How does it perform for AF, etc?

It will be the Mark I version of this lens I will be using - for air shows mainly.

Looking for something that will focus quickly and be razor sharp - I have heard very good reports of the 300mm F/2.8L and it;s reputation for sharpness but am concerned how the 2X III TC will effect it.

Body I will be using is a 5D mark III.

Check out some recent posts by Jack Douglas (frequent user of 300mmL and 2X) and also Sep 14 post by eml58 comparing 300 with 2X vs 400 and 600.

 

[Canon1]

I tried the 2.0xiii with my 300 2.8 mark 1 and the results were FAR from razor sharp. Actually they were not any better then the 2.0x ii. At least to my eyes. Focal told me it was better but only by a very thin margin. Not a great combo unfortunately.

 

[kyamon]

I have recently used that combo at an airshow (rented 300/2.8 Mark I with my own 2xIII on a 5DIII). I had been using the 300/2.8 II before, and the results were certainly way better. I did not, however, do a systematic comparison so I don't know how much of that is simply due to the higher quality of the Mark II lens alone (although most reviews suggest that the two versions are similar). I am attaching a few examples. Mind you, this was my very first airshow (criticism with regards to the pics is more than welcome), and the photos are all handheld.
AF is reasonably fast, moderately accurate (keeper rate low), and IS works. But I must say that 600 mm mostly was too long. Most of the time I shot with the 300 alone, and that worked as expected. I guess, once again, airshows are perfect for the 200-400/1.4x.

The first two were shot with the 300+2x, the others without the 2x.

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

Anyone used the Canon EF 300 mm F/2.8 L IS USM Lens with a 2X III TC?
How does it perform for AF, etc?

It will be the Mark I version of this lens I will be using - for air shows mainly.

Looking for something that will focus quickly and be razor sharp - I have heard very good reports of the 300mm F/2.8L and it;s reputation for sharpness but am concerned how the 2X III TC will effect it.

Body I will be using is a 5D mark III.

Using a 2X TC and expecting razor sharp is going to be a disappointment. A 2X TC does degrade the image and magnifies any CA or other flaws in a lens.

I would not call the result bad by any means, but it will be degraded.

You can compare results with the lenses and both MK II and MK III TC's here. Note that the corners suffer the most.

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/ISO-12233-Sample-Crops.aspx?Lens=249&Camera=453&Sample=0&FLI=0&API=0&LensComp=249&CameraComp=453&SampleComp=0&FLIComp=4&APIComp=2

 

[Scott_McPhee]

Many thanks for the great info posted.

What would we consider is a good airshow lens then?

With our without the TC and something that is affordable but while retaining good quality.

The 300mm f2.8L mark 1 was recommended to me by a Flickr associate who uses it to get some amazing shots with a 2.0TC.

This shot was taken by him with the EF300mm f/2.8L IS USM +2.0x

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bjcc/9775898202/#

This shot is lovely and sharp - just what I am looking for.

 

[Canon1]

Many thanks for the great info posted.

What would we consider is a good airshow lens then?

With our without the TC and something that is affordable but while retaining good quality.

The 300mm f2.8L mark 1 was recommended to me by a Flickr associate who uses it to get some amazing shots with a 2.0TC.

This shot was taken by him with the EF300mm f/2.8L IS USM +2.0x

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bjcc/9775898202/#

This shot is lovely and sharp - just what I am looking for.

It really depends on what you are intending to do with your images. If you are looking to share them on the web then a slightly soft image can clean up very nicely. If you are looking to print big then you will face more limitations. Any way you can rent the combo in question and field test it for yourself? Might be worth the couple hundred bucks to try before you buy. Everyone has a different tolerance for sharpness and usability and as such opinions will vary widely.

 

[privatebydesign]

I have a love hate relationship with my 300 f2.8 IS L (MkI) and MkII 2xTC, sometimes it shocks me and sometimes I am very disappointed. If you are shooting away from the corners then it can be absolutely spectacular. Below is an untouched, unsharpened 100% crop from the 300 f2.8 IS L (MkI) and 2xTC MkII. the MkIII TC is supposed to be a small improvement.

Lightroom has a lens correction for the 300 and TC's and once that is applied it does make a nicely positive difference to corner quality.

All that said and done, I will normally use the 300 alone or with the 1.4 TC MkIII and crop, but then 300/420 is closer to the focal length I actually need. Results from the 300 f2.8 L (MkI) and the 1.4 TC MkIII are spectacular, I very highly recommend that combo.

First image: 1Ds MkIII with EF 300 f2.8 IS L and 2xTC MkII, full image untouched.
Second image: 100% crop from above, no sharpening or processing of any kind, just rendered in LR with zeroed sliders.

 

[WillThompson]

When it comes to TC's the misnomer is that a TC will degrade image quallity, this is not true when using a good TC, it only magnifies the flaws by 1.4X or 2X.

The MKIII Canon TC's are very good optical quallity VS privious models.

Garbage in = 1.4-2.0X the garbage out!

 

[Berniec]

Thanks to Scott for linking to one of my less impressive photos....

I use the 300mm & x2 extender combo a lot of the time, and it's fine. True there's a fair number of non keepers, but thats the nature of aviation photography.

To answer the point about getting printed enlargements, I have had no problem with them.

 

[Scott_McPhee]

Hi Bernie,

It was you that first recommended the 300mm f2.8 to me and I have always been very impressed with your shots - especially the clarity of them.

I love that shot - focus and exposure is on the money - especially given the grey subject, grey sky and overall lack of contrast.

Like I mentioned, I did Leuchars with my 70-200 f2.8 l II with a 2 X III TC on it and found I was at the 400mm end virtually constantly and cropping heavily in post.
So the 300mm could be an option for me.

 

[Deleted member 91053]

My Canon 300mm F2.8 L IS (Mk1) + 2 x Mk3 extender is my normal walkabout kit.
I used to have the Mk2 extender but was not happy with it on my F4 lenses (300mm & 600mm) but the Mk3 extender gives quite usable results on these lenses in good light, the Mk2 gave mainly record shots.
Since moving to the 300 F2.8 I find the 2 x Mk3 extender a VERY useful accessory and having compared it directly to my 600mm (now sold to fund an 800mm) I can state that the images from the 300 + 2 x Mk3 are far from shabby, though you are dependent on having good light and the AF slows noticeably - though it has proven fine for airshows.
Hope this helps.

 

[can0nfan2379]

Hi Scott,

I currently have the exact same setup -- 5D3, 300 2.8L IS MkI and I am currently looking for a 2xIII. I PM'd another CR person several months back -- username "Harv" -- and he had sent me some samples of pics with that rig and I have to say they were totally crisp and clear.

Based on Harv's examples, image quality looks fantastic and at about 1/2 the cost of a used 600mm but with all the maneuverability of the 300.

 

[Scott_McPhee]

Hi Scott,

I currently have the exact same setup -- 5D3, 300 2.8L IS MkI and I am currently looking for a 2xIII. I PM'd another CR person several months back -- username "Harv" -- and he had sent me some samples of pics with that rig and I have to say they were totally crisp and clear.

Based on Harv's examples, image quality looks fantastic and at about 1/2 the cost of a used 600mm but with all the maneuverability of the 300.

It is sharpness and AF quality that is my main concern with the combination - I know the 300 is sharp but it's how much the 2 X III TC effects it.

 

[East Wind Photography]

It does take a subtle hit. You also lose quite a bit of AF speed. If you have to deeply crop it's a no go. Shoot close to full frame and it's fine. Sure is cheaper than a 600

Hi Scott,

I currently have the exact same setup -- 5D3, 300 2.8L IS MkI and I am currently looking for a 2xIII. I PM'd another CR person several months back -- username "Harv" -- and he had sent me some samples of pics with that rig and I have to say they were totally crisp and clear.

Based on Harv's examples, image quality looks fantastic and at about 1/2 the cost of a used 600mm but with all the maneuverability of the 300.

It is sharpness and AF quality that is my main concern with the combination - I know the 300 is sharp but it's how much the 2 X III TC effects it.

 

[Scott_McPhee]

Maybe need to find someone near me with a 300mm f2.8L to try it for myself.

Too expensive a mistake to make if I get this wrong.

 

[privatebydesign]

Where are you? You are welcome to use mine.

 

[Scott_McPhee]

Where are you? You are welcome to use mine.

South Lanarkshire, just below Glasgow in Scotland.

 

[East Wind Photography]

Where are you? You are welcome to use mine.

South Lanarkshire, just below Glasgow in Scotland.

Sounds like a road trip!

 

[dgomola]

I use a 300 f/2.8 with a 2X III TC on my Canon 5D Mark III a lot for wildlife photography when the full frame is an ok choice. The low noise at high iso capabilities of the 5D Mark III makes pretty decent photos even when cropped quite a bit. Check out my recent blog entry which includes this combination. Some are in low light situations. www.dangomola.com/blog